Closure for containers



Mar h 12, 1940.

N. E. H. DELETZKE CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 25, 193'! w/mour C45 Jn/uemr WIT/{OUT 6191 N o w c Patented 1-2, 1940. v

PA TElilT OFFICE 2.19am cnosuaa roa commas Norman E. H. Deletion-Chicago, 1ll., animalto Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington, DeL,

a corporation Application January 25, ISS'L ScrIaI No. 122,134

' 8 Claims. (Cl. 215 88) This invention relates to receptacles and closures therefor. It is especially applicable to receptacles such as glass bottles used in the bottling of milk, and more particularly applies to receptacle closures of the type in which a thin pliable hood cap is molded or crimped over the mouth of the receptacle to coactingly engage parts thereof, which will seal the cap 'over the mouth of the receptacle and hold it in place until m intentionally removed therefrom. Y

It is common knowledge in the art of container closures employing a thin, pliable closure cap, such as aluminum foil, in which a depending flange is formed about the container mouth, that the preferred sealing contact isformed at the line of shouldering engagement between thedetents in the molded or crimped flange and the complementary engaging provisions on the outer periphery of the container neck. It is also comgo mun knowledge that the weakest point'in the sealing contact is at the point of interruption ing orcapping'action. The ends of the discomm tinuous engaging provisions, as wellas thesaid interruptions in the engaging provisions, serve 1 as fulcra to obliterate the retaining detents and the sealing contact when the closure cap is relatively rotated upon the container mouth, and constitutespolnts oi defective sealing contact;

which are easily broken down.

It is, therefore, the object of my invention to provide a closure for containers, milk bottles in particular, which can easily and quickly be ap- M) plied and removed, which, when applied, is retalned in position against accidental removal and forms an uninterrupted, continuous and uniform sealing contact with a complementary, annular, cap engaging provision on the outer periphery of the bottle neck.

Another object is to provide a closure for containers in which, after removal, the pliable, or

metal foil hood, will have substantially, retained its original shape, thus insuring a close fit of m the cap upon the containerniouth when subse-' quently reused and yet showing that the cap has been removed following its original application.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a closure for a container, milk bottles in partic- 'ular, which when applied-protects the mouth and I pouring lip of the bottle against contamination, and which upon relativewotatlon of the cap upon the bottle simultaneously breaks all the combined sealing and retaining detents.

My invention is adaptable for and may be embodied in container closures of various types, such as closures for milk bottles, beer and other beverage bottles, fruitand condiment jars, as well as metal containers, such as are used-in the paint and 011 industries, etc.'; however, Ihave selected w a milk bottle as my preferred form of illustration.

The foregoing objects and others ancillary thereto, I prefer to accomplish as illustrated in the preferred embodiment of my invention in a lo bottle neck and bottle closure whichJ provide with a plurality of improved and important features.

The invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with addi- 20 -tional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of the specific embodiment which when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which as Figure 1 is an elevation on an exaggerated scale partially in section of the upper portion of a milk bottle showing one construction according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar .to Figure l, but at 30 a 90 angle to the plane of Figure l.

Figure .3 is an elevation of a partially preformed closure cap or the type contemplated by this invention.

Figure 4 is a view of the upper portion of aw milk bottle similarto Figure 1 having the cap applied thereto.

F le 5 is a transverse sectional plan view on line A-A of Figure 1.

Corrndlng parts in all the figures are dew noted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the figures by characters of referenoe, the container neck i is provided adjaupper surface of the wash ring 8', but not con- 50 tacting the ridge. 3, are provided to expand the lower portions of the crimpings ii in the depending cap flange iii of the hood cap, which is provided with a lid 9 to contact the pouring lip 2 of the container neck. The projections 'l are u lateral inward pressure to its depending skirt The preferred method of removing a cap of the type contemplated by this invention from a container such as a milk bottle, is to grip the container in one hand, press the palm of the other hand against the lid of the closure cap, thereby holding it in close contact with the pouring lipv 2 of the container, and then rotating the cap relative to the container. By such rotation of the cap, the detents in the cap skirt forming a complementary rib in sealing contact with the beveled surface of the wavy ridge in the container neck, will beforced into engagement with uncomplementary portions of the beveled surface. The ununiformiy and radially inclined wall of the ridge will have a wedging action on the detents in the cap skirt, as the cap is rotated relative to the container. After a partial rotation of the cap upon the container, the sealing contact will be broken and the detents in the cap skirt pushed out of shouldering engagement with the groove in the container neck. The cap may then be removed from the container and subsequently reused as a closure to prevent contamination of the container mouth. The unique way of removing the crimpings embossed in the cap skirt in the capping action, intermediate the upper and lower portions of the depending skirt, will enable the detection of any tampering with the container closure after its original applica tion-yet will not so flare theremaining portions of the cap skirt to prevent partial sealing upon' subsequent reuse of the cap.

The cap to be used with the container may be constructed of thin, pliable material, such as metal foil, 1. e.,'aluminum foil or other pliable shape-retaining materials, which can be molded or formed over the neck of the container. The preferred form constitutes a hood cap provided with a lid 9 and a depending cap flange ID as shown in Figure 3. The inner diameter of the the cap engaging and sealing means, it may be readily rotated on the container by hand to disengage it from the retaining shoulder. To apply the cap, to the container, it is necessary after placing the cap on the container mouth, to apply by means of a pneumatic die or similar instru- .the top of the container and protecting ment to cause the skirt to conform to the outer surface of the container and to emboss a rib II, as shown in Figure 4 into the depending skirt, which will be complementary to and shoulderingly engage the 'ridge I in a continuous uninterrupted sealing contact. Thus the cap is provided with detents which engage the cap engaging shoulder 6 and bosses I, holding the cap in its applied position as intended, thus sealing mouth of it against contamination.

the

The bottle is preferably provided below and adjacent the cap engaging shoulder with a rounded annular head or engagement 8. This bead aids in strengthening the bottle, protects the hood cap applied to the bottle and constitutes a convenient grip for the lifting or carrying of the bottle. The bead 8 is also a satisfactory LhoIdingy'eIement for engagement with holding means inthe bottle washing and filling apparatus.

My invention, therefore, provides a closure for containers, which can be easily and quickly removed and which when applied to the container is retained in position against accidental removal, and which forms an uninterrupted continuous sealing contact, as well as protects the mouth of the container against contamination. As pointed out, the unique way of expanding the crimpings in the depending flange of the cap skirt, as well as forminga sealing contact, will permit of the easy removal of the cap from the container when the cap is rotated relative to the container mouth, as well as its subsequent reuse.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware of the many p ble modifications thereof. My invention is, therefore, not to be restricted except insofar as necessitated by the prior art and the spirit of the applied claims.

As my invention, I, therefore, claim:

1. The combination of a receptacle having a continuous, annular, cap engaging rib of undulating contour formedon the outer'periphery of the neck thereof adjacent the orifice of said receptacle, and a skirted closure cap of pliable, shape retaining material applied to the receptacle mouth and molded in position thereon, said cap skirt being provided with a rib formedin said capping operation complementary to said rib of undulating contour on the outer periphery of the container neck, whereby said cap may be loosened for removal and the said complementary rib in its skirt simultaneously obliterated by turning the cap angularly upon the container.

2. In combination with a container having formed externally on the neck thereof adjacent its orifice a continuous uninterrupted cap engaging rib of undulating contour relative .to the mouth of the container, a skirted closure cap of pliable material placed on the container mouth with a complementary uninterrupted rib pressed into its depending skirt in the capping operation and shaped into conformity with the said cap engaging rib to yieldably maintain the cap in.

sealing contact therewith, whereby the closure cap may be loosened for'removal, and the complementary rib in the depending flange simultaneously obliterated by turning the cap angularly on the container mouth.

"3. A closure combination comprising a container having an uninterrupted annular cap engaging rib of undulating contour relative to the container mouth formed on the outer periphery of the neck of'said container, one or more projections on the outer periphery of said container neck, said projections extending radially a distanc equal to or greater than the radial extent dulating contour, a skirted closure cap of pliable material applied to the mouth of thecontainer and having the skirt portion molded in position about said rib, withthe lower edge of saidcap traversing said projections to coact with said cap engaging rib in sealing contact to maintain said cap in place against accidental displacement by the complementary rib and complementary projections so formed in the skirt, whereby said cap may be loosened for removal and the complementary rib and projections simultaneously obliterated by turning the cap angularly upon the container.

4- A container provided on the outer periphery or its neck adjacent its mouth with a cap engaging rib oi undulating contour axially and radially of the container neck, a skirted container cap of pliable material placed over the container mouth and there molded in secure position to engage said rib in a sealing contact by a continuous complementary rib formed in said cap skirt by the molding operation, said rib constituting a double acting wedge to disengage said complementary rib upon rotation of the cap upon the container mouth.

A bottle having a neck provided adjacent its mouth with an uninterrupted, external, circumferential rib of undulating contour, bosses on the outer periphery of said bottle neck contiguous therewith and positioned remotely from said rib, a fianged'closure cap of thin pliable material molded in place over the bottle mouth with an! embossed uninterrupted rib in said cap flange complementary to said rib of undulating contour; said bosses extending radially a distance equal to or greater than the radial extent 0! said first mentioned rib and extending axially above the trough of said rib or undulating contour and below the lower edge of the flange of said closure cap, whereby upon relative rotation of the cap upon the container the said complementary rib will be obliterated and the lower portion of the cap flange expanded.

6. The combination in a bottle having a neck and a pouring outlet, of a continuous annular pouring and cap engaging flange of undulating diately below said pouring outlet, said pouring and cap engaging rib having an upwardly and inwardly inclined upper face and an inwardly and downwardly inclined lower face constructed and arranged to deflect the liquid from said neck portion below said rib during the pouring operation.

8. A container provided .on the outer periphery of its neck adjacent its mouth with a cap engaging rib of undulating contour axially of the container neck, a skirted container cap of pliable material placed over the container mouth and there molded in secure position to engage said rib in sealing contact by a continuous complementary rib formed in said cap skirt by the molding operation, said rib constituting a wedge to disengage said complementary rib upon the rotation of the cap upon the container mouth.

NORMAN E. H. DELETZKE. 

